Lead Painter - Production

About the role

Our long-standing Lead Painter is moving on after several great years with us, and we're looking for someone to step in and take the reins of our painting department. This is a hands-on leadership role: you'll be finishing products to a high standard yourself, while also running the day-to-day workflow, training and safety of the painting area.

Key responsibilities

• Apply paint, stain and spray finishes to timber products to a consistently high standard, using spray guns, brushes and rollers
• Prepare surfaces (sanding, priming, filling) and manage colour mixing/matching for consistency
• Prioritise and manage the flow of client orders through the painting department, keeping jobs moving efficiently and hitting deadlines
• Lead, train and support other staff working in the painting area, and provide feedback to management on performance
• Maintain machinery, tools and equipment — daily cleaning, maintenance logs, and booking in servicing as needed
• Keep the painting area clean, organised and protected from overspray, and manage paint stock levels using our inventory management system
• Ensure all products meet quality control standards before dispatch
• Uphold health and safety standards, including correct PPE and ventilation practices
• Communicate regularly with the Operations Manager on order status, issues or delays

About you

• Proven painting/spray-finishing experience, ideally in a production or manufacturing environment
• Hands-on experience with inventory management systems (stock tracking, ordering, reconciliation)
• Experience leading, training or mentoring junior staff
• High attention to detail and a strong focus on quality and consistency
• A calm, organised, hands-on approach with good communication skills
• A positive, can-do attitude and comfortable with a fast-paced production environment
• Background or trade knowledge in building, carpentry or joinery
• Forklift licence (LF class)
• Certificate III in Painting and Decorating or similar trade qualification

About us

Castle & Cubby designs and hand-builds premium timber play equipment — cubby houses, gaga pits, chicken coops and more — for backyards, schools and commercial spaces across Australia. We're a growing, hands-on production business based in Bayswater, and quality finishing is a big part of what sets our products apart.

What we offer

• A stable, full-time role in a growing Australian manufacturing business
• A hands-on leadership position with real ownership over your department
• A supportive, close-knit team environment